XIV Reserve Corps (German Empire) explained

Unit Name:XIV Reserve Corps
XIV. Reserve-Korps
Dates:2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Type:Corps
Size:Approximately 38,000 (on formation)
Battles:World War I

Battle of the Frontiers

Identification Symbol:XIV RK
Identification Symbol Label:Abbreviation

The XIV Reserve Corps (German: '''XIV. Reserve-Korps / XIV RK''') was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

Formation

XIV Reserve Corps was formed on the outbreak of the war in August 1914 as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded by General der Artillerie Richard von Schubert, brought out of retirement.[1] It was still in existence at the end of the war in the 17th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, XIV Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions, made up of reserve units. In general, Reserve Corps and Reserve Divisions were weaker than their active counterparts

Reserve Infantry Regiments did not always have three battalions nor necessarily contain a machine gun company[2]

Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation[3]

Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of just three squadrons[4]

Reserve Field Artillery Regiments usually consisted of two abteilungen of three batteries each.[5]

Corps Troops generally consisted of a Telephone Detachment and four sections of munition columns and trains [6]

In summary, XIV Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 7 machine gun companies (42 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 26th Reserve Division was formed by units drawn from the XIII Corps District (Württemberg). It included one active Infantry Regiment (180th).

CorpsDivisionBrigadeUnits
ROWSPAN=23 XIV Reserve CorpsROWSPAN=9 26th Reserve DivisionROWSPAN=2 51st Reserve Infantry Brigade180th Infantry Regiment
121st Reserve Infantry Regiment
ROWSPAN=2 52nd Reserve Infantry Brigade119th Reserve Infantry Regiment
120th Reserve Infantry Regiment
ROWSPAN=5 Württemberg Reserve Dragoon Regiment
26th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
26th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
Württemberg Reserve Medical Company
ROWSPAN=12 28th Reserve DivisionROWSPAN=3 55th Reserve Infantry Brigade40th Reserve Infantry Regiment[7]
109th Reserve Infantry Regiment
8th Reserve Jäger Battalion
ROWSPAN=3 56th Reserve Infantry Brigade110th Reserve Infantry Regiment
111th Reserve Infantry Regiment
14th Reserve Jäger Battalion
ROWSPAN=6 8th Reserve Dragoon Regiment
29th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
28th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
14th Reserve Medical Company
ROWSPAN=2 Corps TroopsROWSPAN=2 14th Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, XIV Reserve Corps was assigned to the 7th Army forming part of the right wing of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

XIV Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[8]

From Rank Name
2 August 1914 Richard von Schubert[9]
14 September 1914 Hermann von Stein
29 October 1916 Georg Fuchs[10]
11 March 1917 Otto von Moser
8 February 1918 Arthur von Lindequist
15 June 1918 Richard Wellmann[11]
24 August 1918 Kurt von Morgen[12]

See also

Bibliography

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/aok/schubert.htm The Prussian Machine
  2. About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company
  3. Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
  4. Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons
  5. Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments
  6. Active Corps Troops included a battalion of heavy howitzers (Foot Artillery), an Aviation Detachment, a Telephone Detachment, a Corps Pontoon Train, a searchlight section, 2 munition column sections, one Foot Artillery munitions column section and two Train sections
  7. Without a machine gun company
  8. http://www.deutsche-kriegsgeschichte.de/akrkgk.html German War History
  9. http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/aok/schubert.htm The Prussian Machine
  10. http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/aok/fuchs.htm The Prussian Machine
  11. Replaced von Morgen in command of I Corps. Web site: Richard Wellmann. The Prussian Machine. 22 December 2012.
  12. Replaced by Wellmann in command of I Corps. Web site: Kurt von Morgen. The Prussian Machine. 22 December 2012.